Tago Arc e-ink fashion bracelet offers an infinite choice of designs

A new IndieGogo project is offering backers the chance to secure one of the first e-ink jewellery items on the market. The desirable object in question is the Tago Arc, a bracelet that offers a wide wraparound 150ppi customisable e-ink display. Users can change the e-ink display on the bracelet easier than they can change their outfit with smartphone app to wrist times as low as 5 seconds.

Tago Arc showing three bracelet construction options

The Tago Arc doesn’t need a battery as the power to change the design on the e-ink display comes from an NFC connection with your smart device. Regular Tech Assimilate readers will know that e-ink displays require no electricity except for the energy required to change the screen. Also, of course, the Tago Arc doesn’t use a backlight.

Tago Arc app

To change from a wide selection of pre-configured designs, or to load your own design, users start up an associated app, shown above. The company is going to open a marketplace to sell ‘premium’ designs and hopes that some big name (fashion) designers will put their toes in the water and sell some of their designs too.

It is said the design transfer from smartphone app to bracelet takes between 5 and 15 seconds but it is promised that by the time the bracelet hits that image market transfer will be a lot faster. The black and white images are displayed at 150ppi in 16 shades of greyscale. At the moment the bracelet is Android only as Apple locks down its NFC in the newest iPhones for Apple Pay use only.

Tago Arc fashion

If you are interested in this fashionable technology then you can be assured it will be a success and make it to market. The project has already zoomed past its $40,000 goal – in a couple of days with 28 days left – and is currently backed with over $60,000 in pledges. The minimum you can pay right now to back the project and get a bracelet at the end is $259 – but you can get a Valentine’s day pair of the bracelets for $379. It is estimated that this innovative e-ink jewellery will be shipped to customers in December.

Mark has worked for a number of years as a newshound on other technology news websites. He decided to write for Tech Assimilate thanks to this web site's open embracing vision of the fascinating world of personal technology. Mark has also worked in the printing and advertising industries for tens of years previously.